Alternative Ocean Vacations

With spring now in full bloom, Summer is just around the corner, and I don’t know about you, but I just can’t wait. For many of us, Summer and, more importantly, Summer vacation is like a breath of much needed fresh air. It’s an escape, albeit a brief one, from the daily grind of financial obligations and your daily routine. For just a little while each year, you get to take a break from work or school to do, more or less, whatever you want to do for a change, rather than what you have to do to get by. That’s why it’s of the utmost importance that we make our vacation count every year! While a trip to the beach is a classical vacation for a reason, there are a great many things you can do for your Summer vacation that aren’t simply an excuse to swim, not that there’s anything wrong with that. Here are some examples of vacation activities that can breathe new life into the breath of fresh air that is your Summer vacation.

First and foremost, let’s go ahead and stick with the ocean locale. For starters, while we all have plenty of fond memories of swimming on the ocean’s surface, there’s still plenty to do just under the sea. (Cue the Little Mermaid musical number.) For example, SCUBA diving is a popular choice of vacation activity, and for good reason. While so many of us simply go to the beach to swim or sunbathe, we still appreciate the specific characteristics of a beach, as opposed to a lake, for example. What we often neglect is that under the ocean is truly a sight to behold. From coral and plantlife, to a wide variety of interesting sea creatures, it’s simply a sight to behold beneath the waves. Then, there’s the jet ski. Jet skiing is much like sailing, but think of the jet ski as the motorcycle to a boat’s car, if you will. It’s smaller and faster, and so it has a certain X factor that boats are lacking, despite boats being the more traditional and reliable option for sea traversal. Along with this speed and maneuverability, people use jet skis to perform interesting tricks and facilitate water skiers. Water skiing, despite the similar name and dependence upon jetskis, couldn’t be more different. Imagine being dragged behind a jetski at top speed as a way of turning the water into a road, in essence. However, if you take a look at this video, you’ll see that barefoot water skiing is also an option, and I can’t imagine anything that would make you feel more like a super hero than gliding along the surface of the ocean like a water strider. Then, there’s paragliding. Another activity facilitated by having a friend on a jet ski, paragliding is being dragged behind a jet ski at top speed, but you’re literally flying. Instead of skis or your bare feet, you’d be dangling from a hang glider, soaring above the ocean.

About the author

Jayvee Fernandez

Jayvee Fernandez is a tech enthusiast, EAN certified SCUBA Diver and underwater photographer based in Metro Manila, Philippines. His photos and videos have appeared in various international and local publications including Random House Germany, Discovery Channel Canada, and CNN.